Swansea

Swansea's population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in marriage, housing tenure and health.

The population reached nearly 240,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Swansea increased by 7.0%, from just over 223,000 to 239,000.

The addition of almost 16,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Swansea was home to, on average, 4.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Swansea

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Swansea remained 39 years.

This service economy area had a slightly higher average age than Plymouth, a statistically similar local authority area (38 years of age) and the third-lowest average age in Wales.

The fall in age was because of an increase of almost 8,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 1,000.

About 15% of people in Swansea are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in proportion of Welsh speakers

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Swansea fell from 13% to 11% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 2,249 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 17,178.

In nearby Neath Port Talbot, 15% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 18% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 21% to 19%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50% to 44%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Fewer married people

Swansea saw Wales' second-largest fall in the proportion of married people.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (44%) people aged 16 and over in Swansea said they were married, compared with 50% in 2001. The percentage that said they were single increased from 30% to 37%.

The largest decrease occurred in Blaenau Gwent (from 51% to 45%).

The proportion of married people was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More people worked short hours

Swansea saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

Every local authority area across Wales saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.7% to 3.0%.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Swansea said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.1% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 11% to 7.7%.

The largest increase occurred in Ceredigion (from 2.7% to 4.5%).

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Swansea increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Wales that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Swansea

Swansea saw Wales' third-largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just over 1 in 14 (7.3%) in Swansea reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 7.8% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 4.9% to 5.4%.

The largest decrease occurred in Wrexham (from 7.5% to 6.6%) followed by Blaenau Gwent (from 6.8% to 6.2%).

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

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